𝕋𝕙𝕖 ℝ𝕖𝕥𝕦𝕣𝕟 𝕠𝕗 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝔻𝕣𝕒𝕘𝕠𝕟 [𝔻𝕖𝕞𝕠𝕟 𝕊𝕝𝕒𝕪𝕖𝕣]

(Chapter 36) A Partner And A Friend

You shall not make me disappear!
Curses are meant to be eternal, and you are the victim.
Feel the dread within you, and never forget it!

****

"DON'T LOSE CONCENTRATION!
We just started.
The city isn't too far from here."
Tadao (From now on, I will use his name)
was training the six boys together while walking to their next destination.
He made them pull prety heavy timbers each while walking.

After Tadao comforted Takeo, he started training him and the other guys directly.
He made them do impossible things for just one week.
Without explaining it to details, he used the same quote every day.
"Training is equal to the hell.
If you do not suffer to a large extent, you can't improve things.
You came here on your own devotion, so except no mercy."

All the boys were giving their best, but this was a little extreme to be fair.
"The pain is making me go numb!"
Giyuu was at his last sources of energy.

Tadao went near him.
"That is it!
You reached your limits."

Giyuu felt that Tadao was going to give him a break, but he stood in front of him with a motivated look.
"SURPASS IT!
RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW!"

Iguro was looking at the devastated Giyuu.
"No wonder no one wants to be his Tsuguko."

Tadao sat on Iguro's timber.
"Speaking and complaining will get you nowhere.
By the way, your timber seems the most comfortable for a quick rest, but you just need to see this as a kind punishment."

Iguro was pissed off.
"Kind you say.
You just made my timber a lot heavier!"

Suddenly, Kyojuro was pulling his timber faster than others.
"The pain is taking over my body.
But I shall not SURRENDER!"

Kyojuro was leading the guys, and Takeo pulled his timber faster too.
"The sooner we arrive the sooner we get to take a break!"

Kyojuro looked at him excitedly.
"THAT'S THE SPIRIT!"

The two of them were giving their hardest and Sabito started to do the same.
"Who entered this competition without me?!"

They were screaming while pulling the timbers and Giyuu,Iguro and Masachika were left behind.
Masachika smiled with looking at them go.
"They are sure energetic."

At the dawn they arrived in a small city.
They were in the front gate of a Wisteria Residence.
"Somebody please wake up our lazy Hashira."
Iguro now seemed to hold a grudge toward Tadao.

They were trying to wake him up and Sabito used this moment to approach Takeo.
"Takeo can we talk a little?"

Takeo got surprised and just noded his head.
Considering their last conversation at the battle where Sabito stated he hated him,Takeo began to avoid speaking with him wherever he had the chance, and now he wondered what could he want to say such a sudden.
Sabito loved his head and shouted.
"Takeo, I APOLOGISE!"

Takeo just looked at him in surprise and Sabito looked at him in the eye.
"At the battle I said something without explaining it.
And noticing your behaviour toward me,made me realise this fault.
You may know till now that I am the type who is blunt and says whatever has in mind."

Takeo was trying to calm him down.
"I have realised that."

"What I said back then was true.
I hated you."
That lowered the mood.

"But for a good reason!"

Takeo was now curious and continued to listen.
"Before joining the Demon Slayer Corp while I was training with my friend Giyuu I heard the news that some guys managed to bravely save the majority of participants in The Final Selection.
I got curious so I searched and found out that it was you and Kyojuro who did that.
This inspired me and in my Final Selection I managed to save my friend all of the participants following your great example."

Takeo was happy to hear that.
"That is truly awesome!"

Sabito interrupted him.
"I am not done.
With that example I began to feel like you might be a good rival so set my eyes on finding you but before I had that chance the incident that made you being called The Vicious Slayer."

Takeo began to see where this was going, and he lowered his head.
"Obviously, I didn't believe that you did all that.
As someone who I did relate to, I can never see a guy like you do that.
But the result of that is what truly disappointed me.
You began to disappear, and the rumours were spreading more than ever.
You didn't fight back.
You didn't show them who you truly are.
And tha is  the sole reason I hated you."
Takeo looked at him and understood that he was truly sincere about this.
"I feel sorry that I didn't meet your exception!"

Sabito patted his back.
"Don't feel sorry!
You proved me wrong.
After meeting you in perso,  you made me change my mind.
You aren't the type to brag aboutthingsg.
You prefer to work quietly and let your job speak for itself.
Your recent battle isana example.
No normal Demon Slayer did survive the Kyoto Incident except the late Arashi Murasak,  who died heroically that night."

Takeo was glad that Sabito did no longerhated him and smiled.
"I must say thank you!"

Sabito smile,  too.
"No need to thank a friend."

The gate was open, and a pretty woman appeared.
She seemed to be around the same age as Tadao, and then she spoke politely.
"Welcome to my Wisteria Residence dear warriors."

Tadao waved his hand casually and entered the gate like it was nothing.
"Hey there, Naoko!
Long time no see!"

This seemed to light angry fire within the polite Naoko, and she punched so hard Tadao on top of his head.
"MORON!
Is this your good example toward these young folks?!"

The guys were quiet, and they felt fear, realising the second personality of such a pretty lady.
They entered the residence, and Tadao went in front of them.
"With no greater explanation cuz I need to hurry to my missions, this beautiful place will be turned in a dreadful hell for one whole month for you, my beloved students.
Better prepare what awaits you!"

With his fierce speech, Tadao told the six devastated boys what awaited them.

Taisho Secrets & Rumours:
As you saw in this chapter, Tadao and Naoko know each other pretty well.
Tadao has mastered what he calls the Quick Sleep, who seems to refill his whole energy for just one hour.
Masachika,Iguro, and Giyuu seemed to be pretty close, and their most used topic in their dialogue is how Sabito,Kyojuro, and Takeo act like untamed bulls too often.